HOLIDAYS: American Disposal Services does not provide service on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day. If a regular trash or recycling collection day falls on one of those days, service for that day will be postponed to the next day and the service scheduled for the remaining days of the week will also be postponed by one day, through Saturday. Here’s what that means for Foxfield:

Large appliances such as washers and dryers can be picked up, but arrangements must be made in advance. There is a small pickup charge; call American Disposal Services for details.

Mattresses, box springs, and large pieces of furniture such as sofas, dressers, and recliner chairs can also be picked up. There is no charge to collect these items, but you must notify American Disposal Services at least one day in advance so they can ensure a truck with plenty of room inside arrives at your property.

Acceptable Trash Storage & Handling

All trash and recycling containers must be kept in the home or at the rear of the home, not in front of the home, until being set curbside for collection. Trash and recyclables may be put out curbside beginning at 7 p.m. on the day prior to collection or in the morning of the day of collection. Once trash and recyclables are collected, trash cans and bins are required to be moved from the curb to the rear of the home or inside the residence for storage.

Trash may be placed curbside in either trash containers with lids or in secured trash bags to avoid loose debris.

Trash which is secured in a trash container with a lid may be put out at 7pm prior to the day of pick up.

All bagged trash must be put out the morning of pick up only, in order to avoid attracting animals or pests.

General Guidelines

TRASH PICKUP: Household waste only.

RECYCLING PICKUP: Acceptable items include newspapers, paper, clean cardboard (no greasy pizza boxes), glass containers, aluminum and steel cans, and clean plastic identified with numbers 1 through 7. American Disposal Services performs single-stream recycling, so item types are not required to be separated. Plastic containers used for insecticides, herbicides, petroleum products, or automotive fluids are not acceptable. For exact details on what can and cannot be recycled, see the American Disposal Services web page on recycling.

BATTERIES: Some types of batteries can be discarded in regular household trash; other types are hazardous if the chemicals leach from the battery into the ground or drinking water. Generally, carbon-zinc and alkaline “flashlight” batteries are safe to discard in your regular trash. Car batteries should be recycled. Rechargeable batteries including nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), lithium-ion (Li-ion), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH), and small sealed lead acid (SSLA or Pb) types should be taken to Fairfax County’s Hazardous Waste Disposal site.

WHITE GOODS: These include bulk items such as washers and dryers. Please call American Disposal Services at 703-368-0500 to arrange a pickup. Note that American Disposal Services will not pickup any appliances or other waste items containing Freon gas; for example, refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners. If handled improperly, the Freon can escape into the atmosphere and damage the earth’s ozone layer. If you are buying a new appliance, ask the retailer if they’ll pickup the old appliance. Dominion Virginia Power also has a program to pick up old refrigerators and freezers; at the time of this writing, they will even pay you a $50 rebate. (Conditions apply.)

YARD WASTE: Grass clippings and leaves should be bagged in brown paper bags (preferred) or clear plastic bags. Yard waste placed in black plastic bags or other bags that cannot easily be identified as yard waste will not be accepted. Brush and limbs must be bundled and tied — truck workers will not gather up your individual branches. Limbs may not exceed 4 feet (1.2 m) in length. Individual limbs may not exceed 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter and bundles of limbs may not exceed a diameter of 2 feet (60 cm).

CHRISTMAS TREES: Trees are collected during the first two weeks in January. Specific schedules will be announced in December. All tinsel and ornaments must be removed from the tree. Do not place the tree into a bag.